The forestay locked in its winter configuration

The Forestay – what is it, and why should sailors care?

When you first start sailing, it’s easy to focus on the obvious things: the sails, the tiller, and which way the boat is trying to throw you.
But quietly doing a very important job right at the front of the boat is something called the forestay.

You don’t adjust it very often.
You don’t trim it like a sail.
But without it, sailing would quickly become… exciting in all the wrong ways.

So, what is the forestay?

The forestay is a wire or strong rope that runs from the top of the mast down to the bow of the boat.

Its main job is simple:

👉 It stops the mast falling backwards.

On most dinghies and yachts, the forestay forms the forward support for the mast, balancing the pull of the shrouds on either side.

On many boats, the jib is attached to the forestay, either clipped on with hanks or rolled around it if you have a furling system.

You can see a clear definition here in our sailing terms guide:
🔗 https://pmrsailing.uk/sailing-lessons/sailing-terms-list/Forestay.html

What does the forestay actually do?

The forestay has three key roles:

1. Mast support

Without a forestay, the mast would rely entirely on side shrouds. A sudden gust, a poor hoist, or an enthusiastic capsize could allow the mast to topple backwards.

That’s bad for:

• The rig

• The deck

• Your confidence

2. Jib attachment

On many boats, the jib either:

• Clips directly to the forestay, or

• Wraps around it on a roller system

This means the forestay helps define the shape and position of the jib, which has a big effect on how well the boat sails upwind.

3. Rig tension and sail shape

Adjusting forestay tension (directly or indirectly) affects:

• Mast rake (how far the mast leans back)

• Jib luff tension

• Overall balance of the boat

Even if you’re not tweaking it mid-sail, knowing what it does helps you understand why your boat behaves the way it does.

In winter, we hold the mast rigid, and the forestay is secured with a metal clip. When we are sailing, the metal clip is replaced with a short rope so we can easily adjust the mast rake depending on the conditions.

Why beginners really need to understand the forestay

If you’re learning to sail, especially on rivers like the Thames, the forestay matters because:

• You often rig and de-rig the boat yourself

• A loose or incorrectly attached forestay can stop the mast staying up

• It explains why the jib looks wrong when hoisted badly

• It helps you understand why some boats must be head-to-wind to rig safely

It’s also one of those parts that instructors assume you know… right up until something goes wrong.

Dinghy vs yacht forestays

• Dinghies often have simple wire forestays, sometimes removed after launching

• Yachts usually have permanent forestays, often with roller furling

• Training boats may use adjustable systems to teach rig control

Different boats, same principle: keep the mast where it belongs.

One small wire, one big job

The forestay might not get the glory of a spinnaker or the drama of a gybe, but it’s a quietly essential part of the rig.

If you understand what it does, you’ll:

• Rig more confidently

• Spot problems earlier

• Sail with a better grasp of how your boat actually works

And that’s exactly what learning to sail is all about.

 

What Makes a Good Sailing Dinghy for a Beginner?
Single-hander or Double-hander – which is best?

One of the very first questions new sailors ask is beautifully simple:

Should I learn in a single-handed dinghy, or is it better to start in a double-hander (or even a family boat)?

As with most things in sailing, the honest answer is: it depends on what you want from sailing, and where you sail. But there are some clear principles that can help beginners choose wisely.

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What actually makes a good beginner sailing dinghy?

Before worrying about crew numbers, it’s worth thinking about the boat itself. A good beginner dinghy should be:

✔ Stable and forgiving

A boat that doesn’t punish every mistake builds confidence quickly. Initial stability matters far more than speed.

✔ Simple to rig and sail

Less time wrestling with ropes on shore means more time learning on the water.

✔ Robust

Beginners will bump pontoons, scrape slipways, and occasionally capsize. Tough boats forgive this too.

✔ Roomy and comfortable

Especially for adults learning later in life, space to move makes learning far less stressful.

✔ Versatile

A boat that can be sailed gently one day and pushed a bit harder the next grows with the sailor.

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Single-hander: learning on your own terms

Single-handed dinghies are sailed by one person who does everything: steering, sail trim, balance, and tactics.

👍 Pros

• You learn fast – every mistake is yours (and so is every success)

• No need to rely on crew availability

• Excellent for developing boat-handling skills

• Great if you like independence

👎 Cons

• Can be physically demanding

• Everything happens at once

• Less forgiving when things go wrong

• Can be intimidating in strong winds

Best for:
Younger or very active sailors, or beginners who already have good balance and confidence on the water.

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Double-hander: learning together (and learning better)

A double-handed dinghy splits the workload between helm and crew.

👍 Pros

• Tasks are shared – less overload for beginners

• Communication builds good sailing habits

• Much more sociable (and forgiving!)

• Easier learning curve for adults

• Ideal for instruction and coaching

👎 Cons

• You need a reliable crew

• Skills can develop unevenly if roles never swap

Best for:
Adult beginners, couples, parents sailing with children, and anyone who wants learning to be social and relaxed.

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What about three- or four-person dinghies?

Larger training and family dinghies often get overlooked — unfairly.

Why they work brilliantly for beginners

• Extremely stable

• Lots of space to move and learn

• Ideal for instruction

• Great confidence builders

• Perfect for rivers and mixed conditions

They may not be the fastest boats on the water, but they are often the boats that keep people sailing.

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River sailing vs sea sailing – it matters

On rivers like the Thames:

• Winds are shifty

• Space is limited

• Manoeuvrability matters more than speed

• Recovery from mistakes needs to be easy

In these conditions, stable double-handers and training dinghies really shine, especially for beginners.

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So… which is best for a beginner?

For most beginners – especially adults

👉 Start with a double-hander or training dinghy

You’ll:

• Learn faster

• Feel safer

• Enjoy sailing sooner

• Be far more likely to stick with it

Later on…

You can always move into a single-hander once:

• Boat handling is second nature

• Confidence is high

• You know what kind of sailing you enjoy

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Final thought

Learning to sail shouldn’t feel like an exam.
The best beginner dinghy is the one that lets you smile, relax, and come ashore wanting just one more go.

If you’re still unsure, the best advice is simple:

Try a few different boats before buying.

Most sailing clubs are very happy to help you do exactly that.

 Technology in Sail Racing – Advantage or Overreach?

Sail racing has always been a curious blend of instinct, experience, and science. The sailor reads the water, the clouds, the ripples, and the subtle pressure on the tiller — often making decisions in seconds, based on years of learning.

But technology is changing that balance.

Today, race buoys can do far more than mark the course. Many are now fitted with wind sensors, GPS, and telemetry, continuously collecting data on wind speed, direction, gust patterns, and even pressure changes. That data can be relayed in real time to a central control system, analysed instantly, and fed back to race officials — and sometimes to teams.

In high-profile events such as SailGP, this information is transformative. Race management can:

• Adjust course geometry on the fly

• Place gates where the pressure really is

• Ensure fairer racing across the fleet

Teams, meanwhile, can combine this live data with onboard sensors to decide:

• Which sail configuration is optimal

• Which side of the course is paying

• When to tack or gybe for maximum gain

From a technical standpoint, it’s astonishing — sailing meets Formula One.

But should it be used?

That’s where the debate really begins.

At club level, and especially on rivers like the Thames, sailing has always been about human judgement. Reading a bend in the river, spotting a dark patch of water under the trees, or feeling a lift just before the burgee confirms it — these are learned skills, not downloaded datasets.

If sailors are told where the pressure is strongest:

• Do we lose the art of wind reading?

• Does experience matter less than access to data?

• Does racing become more about analytics than seamanship?

There’s also the question of fairness. Not every club can afford smart buoys or live data feeds. If technology becomes essential rather than optional, the gap between elite and grassroots sailing may widen further.

A balance worth protecting

Used wisely, technology can:

• Improve safety

• Improve race fairness

• Help beginners understand what’s happening on the course

But sailing’s magic lies in uncertainty. The moment when your instincts beat the numbers. The gamble on a shift that might come.

Perhaps the best use of this technology isn’t to replace skill — but to teach it, to help sailors understand why a decision worked after the race, not before it.

Because once the computer tells you where to sail… are you still really racing the wind?

 

Thrilling SailGP Racing in Perth – A Brilliant Win for Emirates GBR 🇬🇧

If you want a venue that separates precision sailing from pure survival, Perth is it. This latest round of SailGP delivered everything we’ve come to expect: big breeze, high speeds, tight margins, and decisions that had to be right first time.

Raced off the coast of Perth near Fremantle, the conditions were classic Western Australia – strong, punchy sea breezes, uneven pressure across the course, and a short chop that punished any lapse in concentration.

When Conditions Reward Confidence

Perth SailGP is never about playing safe. Foil height control, slick manoeuvres, and absolute trust in the crew are essential. A fraction late on a bear-away or a touch slow through a tack and you’re immediately on the back foot.

Across the fleet, we saw moments where bravery paid off – and moments where the course bit back hard. Starts were crucial, mark roundings unforgiving, and clean sailing made the difference between flying and falling.

Emirates GBR Step Up

The standout performance came from the Emirates GBR SailGP Team, who put together a superb series to take a well-earned and confidence-boosting win.

What stood out wasn’t just raw speed, but control. In conditions that tempt you to over-push, the British team looked composed and clinical. Good starts, smart positioning, and excellent boat handling under pressure allowed them to stay fast while keeping mistakes to a minimum – no small feat in Perth.

Why SailGP Is Such a Draw

Even if you sail nothing more exotic than a club dinghy, SailGP is endlessly fascinating because the fundamentals never change:

• Reading gusts and pressure shifts

• Making clean, decisive manoeuvres

• Positioning well at the start

• Keeping errors small when everything happens fast

The boats may be foiling at extraordinary speeds, but the thinking is rooted in the same principles taught at sailing clubs every weekend.

Inspiration From Club Sailing to the World Stage

Watching Emirates GBR win in Perth is a reminder that elite sailing pathways start somewhere very ordinary – a river, a lake, a local club. The jump in technology is enormous, but the core skills are built slowly, session by session.

For younger sailors watching on, Perth showed what’s possible. For the rest of us, it was simply a reminder of why we love this sport.

 

Building the Boat of Your Dreams

Laying the keel of a 54-foot Trading Wherry

Episode 25 – Building Lady Garnet

There are moments in boatbuilding that feel almost ceremonial, and laying the keel is one of them. It’s the point where an idea, sketches, and years of knowledge finally touch solid ground.

A good friend of mine, Don McDermot, has reached exactly that moment with his extraordinary project: the construction of Lady Garnet, a 54-foot traditional trading wherry — the first of her kind to be built since 1912.

This isn’t a replica pulled from a production line. It’s a wherry being created from scratch, using traditional methods, craftsmanship, and a deep respect for Britain’s inland-waterway heritage. Watching the keel go down is watching history restart.

For anyone who loves:

• traditional wooden boats

• historic working craft

• hands-on craftsmanship

• or simply the romance of boats built properly, by hand

This project is utterly captivating.

🎥 Watch Episode 25 – Laying the Keel
👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7dsUSATDQI&t=424s

Each episode shows real progress — timber shaped, joints cut, problems solved — not glossed-over highlights but the honest reality of building something that hasn’t been attempted for over a century.

As someone who sails and writes about historic Thames boats, restorations, and the joy of traditional craft, it’s hugely inspiring to see a trading wherry being brought back to life plank by plank. Projects like this remind us that heritage isn’t something that just sits in museums — it can still be built, sailed, and worked.

 

From Paddling Pools to Foiling Catamarans

How Do We Get Children from First Sails to SailGP?

As I settle down to watch international sail racing in SailGP, it’s hard not to be blown away by the sheer spectacle. Fifty-foot foiling catamarans travelling at motorway speeds, flown with precision by athletes who combine physical strength, technical skill and razor-sharp tactical awareness.

But it also makes me wonder:
How do we encourage children to take their first steps into sailing – and how do those steps ever lead to something like SailGP?

Where Sailing Really Starts

For most sailors, the journey doesn’t begin on foils. It starts somewhere much humbler:

• A taster session at a local sailing club

• A summer course in a tiny dinghy

• Capsizing repeatedly in cold water, learning how to laugh about it

In the UK, grassroots sailing has traditionally been nurtured through clubs and youth programmes supported by Royal Yachting Association. Boats like the Optimist, Topper, RS Tera or Feva aren’t glamorous, but they are brilliant teachers. They reward balance, awareness and feel — skills that no amount of technology can replace.

The Big Gap: Visibility and Aspiration

The challenge is that elite sailing is largely invisible to non-sailors. Footballers are on cereal boxes. Racing drivers are household names. Sailors? Often not.

SailGP helps enormously here. It packages sailing as:

• Fast

• Visually spectacular

• Understandable to non-sailors

• Properly global

That matters. Children need heroes they can see and identify with. When they watch SailGP, they don’t just see boats — they see teamwork, technology, and a pathway where sailing looks exciting rather than obscure.

Making the Pathway Clearer

The missing link is often not opportunity, but clarity. Children (and parents) need to see:

1. First sails → fun and confidence

2. Club sailing → skills and friendships

3. Youth racing → challenge and progression

4. High-performance pathways → inspiration and ambition

Very few will ever sail in SailGP — and that’s fine. The real success is keeping young people in the sport, whether they become racers, instructors, coaches, engineers, or simply lifelong sailors.

Why Clubs Matter More Than Ever

Local sailing clubs are doing something SailGP never can:

• Providing community

• Offering affordable access

• Teaching resilience, teamwork and self-reliance

If we want more SailGP sailors in the future, we don’t just need better technology — we need welcoming clubs, patient instructors, supportive parents, and space for children to mess up safely.

From River to World Stage

Watching SailGP is thrilling. But it’s also a reminder that every one of those sailors once struggled with a flapping sail, a tangled rope, or a cold dunking.

The question isn’t “How do we create SailGP sailors?”
It’s “How do we make sure children fall in love with sailing in the first place?”

Everything else follows from that.

 

13 F50s on the Line in Perth – Strong Winds, High Stakes

Thirteen SailGP F50 catamarans are lined up in Perth, racing out of Fremantle, with conditions promising exactly what SailGP fans love most: wind, speed, and drama.

Perth’s summer sea breezes are famous for building through the afternoon, and if they deliver as forecast, these 50-foot foiling machines will be right on the edge. The F50 is brutally fast in strong wind, but it’s also unforgiving—tiny errors in trimming, flight control, or tactics can turn a race in seconds.

Why Perth Matters

• Strong, consistent breeze tests both helms and flight controllers

• Open water with coastal effects rewards smart positioning

• High speeds mean penalties and manoeuvres are magnified

At 90+ km/h, these boats make river dinghy racing feel positively sedate. Yet the fundamentals are the same: balance, timing, and reading the wind. Whether you sail an RS Toura on the Thames or watch SailGP from the sofa, the lessons translate beautifully.

This weekend isn’t just about raw pace—it’s about control at the limit. And with 13 teams pushing hard, Fremantle could deliver one of the most spectacular SailGP events of the season.

Planning an Upgrade Path: From RS Toura to a Bigger Racing Double-Hander

At some point in every sailing journey comes the question:

Do we upgrade the boat – and if so, to what?

For us, sailing mostly on the River Thames, the decision isn’t just about speed or trophies. It’s about crew size, comfort, practicality, and realism. We currently sail an RS Toura, and while it’s been a superb learning platform, the temptation to move towards a more racing-focused double-hander is growing.

But there’s a catch…

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Why the RS Toura Still Makes Sense (For Now)

The Toura is often dismissed as a “training boat”, but that’s unfair.

What it does brilliantly:

• Carries two larger adults comfortably

• Forgiving hull → mistakes don’t instantly punish you

• Stable enough for family sailing and learning tactics

• Handles river conditions well (gusts, shifts, trees, bends!)

On the Thames, boat control and decision-making matter more than raw speed, and the Toura gives time to think.

So the question isn’t “Is the Toura good enough?”
It’s “What do we gain by upgrading – and what do we lose?”

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The Merlin Rocket Temptation (And Why It Doesn’t Quite Fit)

The Merlin Rocket is often held up as the ultimate inland racing dinghy:

• Light, responsive, tactical

• Phenomenal upwind performance

• Perfect for rivers if you fit the boat

But here’s the reality check:

Why it may not work for us

• Designed for lighter crews

• Narrow hull → cramped for larger sailors

• Requires constant, athletic movement

• Less forgiving during relaxed club sailing

In short: a fantastic boat, but not for every body shape or sailing goal.

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So… What Comes After the Toura?

If we’re too big for a Merlin, but still want:

• Double-handed racing

• River-friendly handling

• Enough space to sail without contortionism

Then the upgrade path looks more like this:

1. A “Big” Performance Double-Hander

Boats that scale up the concept:

• More hull volume

• Wider racks or wings

• Designed for adult crews, not featherweights

You gain speed and challenge, without sacrificing comfort.

2. Stay River-Capable

On the Thames:

• Short tacks

• Variable wind

• Shallows and weed

Anything too extreme becomes hard work rather than fun.

3. Keep the Toura (Seriously)

There’s a strong argument for:

• Toura for relaxed sailing, teaching, and filming

• Faster boat for racing sessions and events

Not every sail needs to be Type-2 fun.

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The Bigger Question: What Are We Upgrading For?

Before changing boats, it’s worth being brutally honest:

• Do we want closer racing, or just more excitement?

• Are we racing others, or racing ourselves?

• Do we want a boat that challenges occasionally – or constantly?

On a river, smart sailing beats twitchy boats surprisingly often.

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A Sensible Upgrade Philosophy

Rather than jumping straight to “the fastest thing we can afford”, a better path might be:

1. Extract everything possible from the Toura

2. Improve:

   • Starts

   • Tacking efficiency

   • Tactical positioning

3. Then move to a boat that:

   • Fits the crew

   • Fits the river

   • Fits how often we actually sail

Progression isn’t about bravado – it’s about sustainable enjoyment.

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Final Thought

If you’re:

• Too big for a Merlin

• Sailing mainly on rivers

• Wanting performance without misery

Then the answer may not be one boat, but a thoughtful upgrade path.

And the RS Toura?
It might not be holding you back nearly as much as you think.

Keelboat vs Daggerboard Dinghy Racing on the River Thames

 Is a K1 with a Lifting Keel a Good Boat for the River Thames?

A friend at the club has a K1 with a lifting keel and asked me whether it’s worth having on the Thames. Short answer: yes — but with a few caveats!

Why it can be great
👍 Shallow-water access: The Thames can be a shallow river in lots of places, especially at low tide. A lifting keel means you can glide over shallow sections without grounding — a huge advantage if you like exploring upstream or quieter creeks.

👍 Easy launching and recovery: Lifting keels make it simpler to launch from steep banks or slipways — and to get the boat on and off a trolley or trailer. That’s especially useful on tidal reaches, and useful to raise the keel at Bourne End.

👍 Versatile sailing: On tidal rivers, wind and current are constantly changing. A lifting keel lets you adjust draft on the fly — deeper when you want good upwind performance, shallower when you’re drifting or motoring back.

Things to think about
⚓ Tidal timing matters: The Thames isn’t a big open estuary, but it is tidal up to Teddington. That means water levels shift a lot — so you’ll still need to plan your sail around high water. A lifting keel helps, but tide rules here.

⚙️ Maintenance: Lifting keel mechanisms (lifting ropes, winches, trunk seals) need attention. On a river where weeds and mud are common, make sure everything is clean and working.

🚧 River traffic: The Thames has motor boats, trip boats, rowing crews, houseboats — and moored boats everywhere. A small dinghy can be delightful but you’ll need good boat handling to stay safe and polite in tight spots.

💨 Points of sail: Upwind beats can be short on a river with bends and bridges. A lifting keel helps your windward ability compared with a flat-bottomed boat, but you still won’t be pointing like you would on open water. Think fun and nimble rather than high-performance racer.

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My verdict:
A K1 with a lifting keel can be fantastic on the Thames — especially if you enjoy exploring, racing club handicap races, or pottering along scenic reaches. Just be ready for tidal planning, a bit of upkeep, and learning to read river conditions.

Keelboat vs Daggerboard Dinghy Racing on the River Thames

Racing on the Thames is very different from racing on open water. The river is narrow, bendy, shallow in places, crowded, and often shifty. That makes the choice of keelboat vs daggerboard dinghy far more than a matter of taste.

Below is a practical, river-focused comparison rather than a brochure answer.

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⛵ Keelboat Racing on the Thames

Strengths

✔ Stability in gusts
Keelboats are forgiving when the wind funnels round trees, buildings, and bridges. You’re less likely to be knocked flat by a rogue gust.

✔ Momentum through wind holes
Their weight helps them carry speed when the wind dies behind a bend or a line of trees — a common Thames feature.

✔ Less frantic crew work
No rapid board up/down decisions or constant body movement. This suits longer races or more relaxed club racing.

Limitations

✖ Draft matters — a lot
Even modest keels can limit where you race, launch, or recover. Low water or silted edges can quickly become an issue.

✖ Slower tactical response
Tight tacks, quick dodges around moored boats, or sudden course changes are harder work.

✖ Recovery options are limited
If you do ground, you’re usually stuck until the water comes back.

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🛶 Daggerboard Dinghy Racing on the Thames

Strengths

✔ Adjustable draft = tactical weapon
Lifting the board slightly downwind or in shallow water reduces drag and avoids grounding — priceless on a river.

✔ Rapid manoeuvrability
Short legs, frequent tacks, and dodging traffic suit light, responsive boats.

✔ Easier launching and recovery
You can sail right up to the bank, hop out, and lift the boat clear — no drama.

✔ Strong handicap racing
On the Thames, smart boat handling often beats raw speed. Dinghies reward river-specific skills.

Limitations

✖ More physical sailing
You’ll be moving around constantly, especially in gusty conditions.

✖ Sensitive to poor trim
Board too far down in shallow water = drag. Too far up upwind = leeway. It rewards experience.

✖ Less forgiving for novices
Mistakes show quickly — but that’s also why learning accelerates fast.

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⚖️ Side-by-Side Thames Racing Comparison

Feature	Keelboat	Daggerboard Dinghy
Shallow water	❌ Limited	✅ Excellent
Tight river bends	⚠️ OK	✅ Ideal
Gusty conditions	✅ Stable	⚠️ Demands skill
Launch/recovery	❌ More complex	✅ Simple
Tactical flexibility	⚠️ Moderate	✅ High
Physical effort	✅ Lower	❌ Higher
Learning curve	✅ Gentle	❌ Steeper

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🧠 Thames-Specific Verdict

On the Thames, the river usually favours daggerboard boats.

Why?

• Courses are short and tactical

• Wind shifts constantly

• Depth changes matter

• Manoeuvrability beats straight-line speed

Keelboats can work well — particularly on wider reaches with stable depth and for sailors who value comfort and momentum. But if you enjoy tactical racing, frequent tacks, and exploiting every puff and bend, a daggerboard dinghy is usually the more rewarding tool.

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A useful rule of thumb

Wide river, steady wind, relaxed racing → keelboat
Narrow river, shifty wind, tactical racing → daggerboard dinghy

 

Tactical Tacking in Shifty Thames Winds

Why river sailors tack more than they drink tea

If you sail on the River Thames, you quickly learn that the wind has a mischievous personality. One moment it’s filling your sails nicely, the next it’s vanished behind a line of trees, bounced off a clubhouse roof, and reappeared from a completely different direction.

This is where tactical tacking becomes less of a racing obsession and more of a survival skill.

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🌬️ Why Thames Winds Are So Shifty

River sailing is nothing like wide-open water:

• Trees, buildings, and banks bend and block the airflow

• The river curves, constantly changing your angle to the wind

• Gusts arrive in narrow bands, then disappear just as fast

The result? You’re rarely sailing in a steady breeze for more than a few boat lengths.

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⛵ Tactical Tacking: What It Really Means on a River

On the Thames, tacking isn’t about following a textbook beat — it’s about constantly re-positioning your boat to stay in pressure and stay pointing.

Good river tacking means:

• Tacking towards the next gust, not away from it

• Tacking early to avoid being headed into the bank

• Using short boards to stay in clear air and better wind

If you feel you’re tacking “too often”, you’re probably doing it right.

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👀 Look Up, Not Just at the Sails

One of the biggest lessons river sailing teaches is to sail with your head out of the boat:

• Watch trees, flags, ripples, and smoke

• Notice which side of the river is darker (more wind)

• Learn where the wind usually bends around familiar landmarks

The Thames rewards sailors who think three boat lengths ahead, not thirty.

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🧠 Common Thames Tacking Mistakes

Even experienced sailors fall into these traps:

• Holding on too long waiting for the “perfect” tack

• Tacking because someone else did, not because the wind told you to

• Over-sheeting after the tack and stalling in light air

On a river, momentum is gold. A tidy, well-timed tack beats a heroic one every time.

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🙂 A Non-Racer’s Take

You don’t have to race to enjoy tactical tacking. Even on a gentle cruise, reading the wind and choosing when to tack turns a tricky sail into a deeply satisfying one.

It’s less about winning…
…and more about feeling quietly smug as you glide past someone who didn’t spot the shift.